Coaxial cable connector



m M mm m NL on X A O C Oct. 29, 1968 Filed Dec. 29, 1965 United States Patent 3,408,615 COAXIAL CABLE CONNECTOR Donald N. Sewell, Acton, Mass, assignor to Dielectric Products Engineering Company, Inc., Littleton, Mass, a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 517,409 8 Claims. (Cl. 339-94) and the housing is then rotated about the sleeves-forcing the ends of the central conductors into the contact surfaces and compressing the sealing members so that sealed coaxial line joint is provided.

This invention relates to electrical transmission lines and more particularly to a novel coupling connecting adjacent sections of a coaxial transmission line.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a coupling between adjacent lengths of a coaxial transmission line which incorporates sealing members to permit pressurizing the interior of the line. A further object of this invention is to provide a coupling which presents only smooth surfaces against the sealing members to avoid damage thereto and which recesses the sealing members from the transmission line until they are assembled in final position thus avoiding any possible damage to the sealing members during assembly. Still another object of this invention is to avoid the cost and other problems, e.g. close tolerances, welding or soldering with attendant deleterious annealing thereadjacent, and presence of fluxes, commonly associated with flange-type couplings.

In general this invention features a coupling having a tubular housing with a channel therein adapted to receive a dielectric support for an inner conductor. The coupling is also adapted to receive therewithin an outer conductor.

between the recesses and the channel. The complete structure of the coupling also includes compression sleeves and sealing members in the recesses for sealing the coupling, the sealing members having an inner diameter at least as great as the outer diameter of the outer conductor whereby the sealing members cannot be damaged by the outer conductor during assembly.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation broken away of a transmission line incorporating this invention;

' against sealing members 44,

3,408,615 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 FIG. 2 is an exploded side elevation of elements of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 rotated therefrom;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a reduced elevation similar alternate embodiment of the invention.

Shown in FIG. 1 are adjacent lengths of a coaxial transmission line having outer 10, 12 and inner 14, 16 tubular conductors. The transmission line lengths flangeless coupling generally designated 18.

Coupling 18 includes tubular conductive housing 20, FIG. 2, in which the conductors are positioned. Housing 20 has an annular channel 22,

to FIG. 1 of an 20 to its respective ends 28, 30 for receiving therein seal and compression sleeves therefor. Recesses 24, 26 have smooth circumferential 32, 34 and vertical 36, 38 walls, the diameter of circumferential walls 32, 34 being greater than the OD. of outer conductors 10, 12 by an amount approximately equal to the wall thickness of the compression sleeves to be inserted therein. Vertical walls 36, 38 extend inwardly from circumferential walls 32, 34 and terminate at a point having a diameter greater than the CD. of outer conductors 10, 12.

Electrical contact walls 40, 42 are provided between the termini of vertical walls 36, 38 and channel 22. Contact walls 40, 42 are frusto-conical in shape having a diameter at channel 22 smaller than the OD. of outer conductors 10, 12. Thus with outer conductors 10, 12 in housing 20, a positive electrical connection may be established therebetween at contact walls 40, 42.

Annular sealing the diameter of recesses 24, 26.

Tubular compression sleeves 48, 50 are provided out- Wardly of sealing members 44, 46 for compressing the sealing members to elfectuate a seal between the housing 20 and the outer conductors 10, 12. Sleeves 48, 50 have an OD. approximately equal to the diameter of recesses 24, 26 for a slip fit therein and an ID. approximately equal to the OD. of outer conductors 10, 12 also for a slip fit therewith. End walls 52, 54 of sleeves 48, 50 46 are smooth to prevent damage to the sealing members.

Means are also provided in the housing 20 and sleeves 48, 50 for pressing sleeves 48, 50 against sealing members 44, 46 for etfectua'ting a seal. The housing 20 is provided at each end 28, 30 with a pair of slots 60, 62, 64, 66 angularly inclined to a plane transversely extending across member 20. Sleeves 48, 50 are provided with camming pins 68, 70, 72 (one such pin not being shown) in each and pins. Hole 78 68, 70, 72 are press fitted in not being shown), in

of slots 60, 62, holes 74, 76, FIG. 2 (two holes sleeves 48, 50 and are positioned relative to slots 60, 62, 64, 66 to provide compression of sealing members 44,46 in one position of the slots and pins and non-compression 64, 66. Pins position of the slots permit relative of the sealing members in another in housing 20 is provided to use of a spanner wrench to hold the housing 20 to sleeves 48, 50 during assembly.

Preferably the pairs of slots 60, 64 and 62, 66 on each side of housing 20 are parallel so as to require counterrotation of sleeves 48, 50 for compression of sealing members 44, 46. When assembled, this arrangement of the slots prevents housing 20 from rotating to a relative non-compression position.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the outer ends 56, S8 of sleeves 48, 50 extend beyond the ends 28, 30 of housing 20. The outer ends 28, 30, 56, 58 of both housing 20 and sleeves 48, 50 have axially extending slots 80 therein to make the ends flexible. Clamps 82, 84, 86, 88 are fastened over the axial slots 80 to assist in maintaining the relative positions of the sleeves 48, 50 and housing 20.

Dielectric support 90 is positioned in channel 22 and includes a tubular conductive connecting member 92 having mounted thereon, on either side of support 90, inner conductors 14, 16. Connecting member 92 has an OD. slightly greater than the ID. of inner conductors 14, 16 and is slotted as at 94 from its outer ends to permit insertion within inner conductors 14, 16 and to provide positive electrical contact therewith.

The modification shown in FIG. illustrates a transmission line end seal (comprising a close ended outer conductor component) which is secured to a modified housing member This arrangement is identical at its left end with that shown in FIGS. 14. The housing memmer 20 and end seal 10' may be integral or a seal obtained between housing 20' and end seal unit 10 by conventional techniques.

To assemble coupling 18, dielectric support 90 with connecting member 92 is inserted in channel 22 of housing 20 using an arbor press. Sealing members 44, 46 are then placed in recesses 24, 26. Sleeves 48, 50 are then also placed in recesses 24, 26 with holes 74, 76, et al., aligned with corresponding slots 60, 62, 64, 66. Pins 68, 70, 72, et al., are then inserted through slots 60, 62, 64, 66 and pressed into holes 74, 76, et a1. Clamps 82, 84, 86, 88 are positioned over the axially slotted ends 28, 30, 56, 58 of housing 20 and sleeves 48, 50 and the clamps are tightened by hand pressure only to avoid distorting the clamped ends.

To install the coupling 18 thus assembled in a trausmission line, clamps 82, 84, 86, 88 are loosened and an outer conductor 10 and inner conductor 14 are positioned respectively in one end 28 of housing 20 and on the corresponding end of connecting member 92. Rotating coupling 18 during this installation procedure assures electrical connection at contact'wall 40. A spanner wrench is then inserted in hole 78 to hold housig 20 stationary and another spanner wrench adapted to fit in slots 80 of sleeve 48 is used to rotate sleeve 48 until it compresses sealing member 44 to establish a seal. Clamps 82, 84 are then tightened to hold sleeve 48 in the seal compression position. The same procedure is then followed at the other end of coupling 18 to complete installation.

Since the sealing members 44, 46 have an ID. at least as great as the OD. of the outer conductors 10, 12, are set back from the ends of the outer conductors 10, 12, and are surrounded by smooth walls only, the risk of damage thereto and of impairment of the sealing functron is virtually eliminated. Likewise avoided are the problems associated with flange-type couplings.

Other embodiments of this invention will appear to 4 those skilled in the art which are within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling element for an electrical transmission line having inner and outer tubular conductors comprising:

a tub lar housing member;

a support receiving channel in the inner circumference of said housing for receiving a support for said inner conductor;

a recess extending about the inner circumference of said housing and extending axially from a point spaced from said channel to an end of said housing, said recess having a smooth circumferential wall and a smooth vertical wall at the end of said recess adjacent said channel; I

an electrical contact wall extending axially from the vertical wall of said recess toward said support channel, said electrical contact wall having a diameter adjacent said vertical wall greater than its diameter adjacent said channel; and

an angularly inclined slot extending through the circumferential wall of said recess, cooperating means surrounding the outer conductor and cooperating with said slot so that rotation of said coupling element relative to said outer conductor forces the end of said outer conductor into electrically conductive engagement with said electrical contact wall.

2. The coupling claimed in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means includes a tubular compression sleeve having a smooth end wall facing said vertical wall and having a camming pin extending therefrom into said slot, said sleeve adapted for a slip fit between said recess and said outer conductor and to be secured to said outer conductor.

3. The coupling claimed in claim 2 including an annular sealing member in said recess intermediate said vertical and end walls having a smaller axial dimension than that between said vertical and end walls in one relative position of said pin and slot and greater than that between said vertical and end walls in another position of said pin and slot and having an inner diameter at least as great as the outer diameter of said outer conductor.

4. The coupling claimed in claim 3 in which said contact wall is of frusto-conical configuration.

5. The coupling claimed in claim 4 including a .dielectric support for said inner conductor radially extending into said channel, said support having an inner conductor connecting member coaxially supported therein.

6. The coupling claimed in claim 5 having recesses, contact walls, slots, sleeves, sealing members, and connecting members similarlyarranged at each side of said channel.

7. A coupling element for an electrical transmission line having inner and outer tubular conductors comprising:

a tubular housing member;

a channel about the inner circumference of said housing for receiving a radially extending dielectric support for said inner conductor, said support having an inner conductor connecting member coaxially supported therein;

a recess at either end of said housing, each said recess hav ng a smooth vertical wall adjacent to and spaced from said channel and a smooth circumferential wall extending from said vertical wall to the end of said housing;

an electrical contact wall extending inwardly from each recess to said channel, each said contact wall. being of frusto-conical configuration and having greater diameter ad acent said vertical wall than its diameter ad acent said channel: and an ngularly inclined slot extending through the circurnferentral wall of each said recess; and

two tubular compression sleeves, each sleeve being 6 responding resaid inner conductors positioned on said connecting memcing the vertical bers and said clamps tightened over said ends. ng pin extending 'd vertical and end References Cited b d d h b 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ng mem er ispose in t e space ells so that rotation of 2 grewster 33 of sad 3 ace f f z 2125? 2:603:682 7/1952 uiiii e eiai. 33in P P g 2,729,800 1/1956 Knudsen 33988 g ends including axially extend 10 2,761,111 8/1956 Klostermann 339-94 s over said ends for securing said FOREIGN PATENTS using in position 011 said electrical 722 990 2 1955 Great i i claim 7 in a coaxial elec- 15 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. ad acent len ths of inner abutting Sal-d J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner. 

